Nutritional evaluation of biscuits enriched with cricket flour (Acheta domesticus)

Abstract

The need for alternative protein sources has received considerable interest in insect-based foods. In this study, wheat flour in the standard biscuit recipe was replaced with 20% cricket (Acheta domesticus) flour. Compared with standard biscuits, cricket biscuits did not differ in physical properties, but they differed in protein, dietary fiber, ash, and carbohydrate content. The estimated glycemic index of standard and cricket biscuits was 49.28 and 47.84, respectively. The in vitro protein digestibility of cricket biscuits (45.19%) was almost two times that of standard biscuits (26.47%. There is not significant difference in lipid digestibility between standard (57.74%) and cricket (55.56%) biscuits (p > 0.05). In addition, hydroxymethylfurfural was not detected. Furfural was 0.22 and 0.38 ppm, and acrylamide was 111.10 and 122.01 ppb in standard and cricket biscuits, respectively. Cricket biscuits can be considered as a suitable option for snack standards because of their high protein with nutritional and health claims.